The Pure Life Of Costa Rica

The Pure Life Of Costa Rica

Costa Rica is the known to be the “world’s happiest” country and I can truly say one of the “friendliest” as they have forbidden an army for over 60 years! It is truly one of the most satisfying places to live with the average life expectancy at 79 years. Ticos is a term widely used between Costa Rica natives. You will hear the term PURA VIDA (meaning Pure Life) very frequently as this is usually said in place of hello and goodbye. You will arrive here and the people and breathtaking scenery will make it very hard to leave!

I am an airplane fanatic and love staying in the retrofitted Boeing 727, a 2-Bedroom suite at the Costa Verde Resort where most of the time you find more monkeys hanging around than guests. Hotel Costa Verde is located on a coastal rainforest bluff overlooking the Pacific beaches of Manuel Antonio National Park near Quepos, Costa Rica.

Explore the famous Monteverde Cloud Forest where you will find several bird species and the largest population of the country’s quetzal named for its splendor. There are more than a dozen volcanos here, however Arenal is my favorite reaching over 5000 feet above sea level. This volcano draws many visitors to the area as it is located in the Arenal Volcano National Park which is over 29,000 acres with many activities such as hiking, canoeing, waterfall rappelling and a must visit to the hot springs are just a few of the attractions in and around Arenal.

Costa Rica has something to offer for everyone, from the bustling streets of San Jose where you can enjoy the nightlife, explore the diverse gastronomy or just sit at a street-side café and people watch. Or for the more discerning traveler, the luxury intimate setting from a boutique resort overlooking the beautiful rainforests. Guanacaste located in Northwestern part of the country is widely known for its beaches and world class surfing and sport fishing. A visit to the nearby town of Tamarindo where you can enjoy the small “beach town” ambiance is always my favorite when visiting Costa Rica.